EU: 94% of Tap Water, 63% of Bottled Water Contaminated with Pesticides

A study prepared by the European Pesticide Action Network (PAN Europe) revealed a new warning about pesticide contamination in surface and groundwater in the European Union. The results of these analyses, which were conducted between April and June 2024 in eleven countries, showed an alarming presence. Of concern to eternal chemicals in drinking, spring or bottled water, i.e. pesticide contamination.

According to a report published by the Spanish newspaper OK Diario, after collecting 55 samples in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden, the conclusion was that TFA (trifluoroacetic acid), which is derived from what are called “forever chemicals” or perfluoroalkyl substances ( PFAS, a persistent chemical pollutant found in pesticides.

This study is complemented by other analyzes conducted by Pan Europe, which in May discovered “alarming levels” of TFA, trifluoroacetic acid, in surface and groundwater.

Specifically, in the most recent samples, 94% of EU drinking water and 63% of spring or bottled water contain TFA or PFAS, substances found in many products, including pesticides and fluorinated gases used in coolers and fire extinguishers. .

The new study shows that 94% of 36 tap water samples analyzed from eleven countries contain the TFA metabolite, with an average level of 740 nanograms per liter (ng/L). In the case of Spain, the sample analyzed comes from La Rioja and shows a level of 510 nanograms. /Liter.

On the other hand, the average for 63% of the 19 samples of bottled mineral water or spring water studied was 278 ng/L, although the thresholds differed significantly in both categories.

“Analysis of 24 other PFAS in four composite samples confirmed that TFA is the predominant PFAS contaminant in drinking water,” the analysis adds, noting that there are “few studies available on TFA toxicity, making risk assessment challenging.”